Laylee got out of bed the other night and told me, “I can’t sleep because there’s a noise in my room and it’s distressing me.”
She was truly distressed by the sound of the pipes creaking or the frogs chirping or possibly the sound of being alone. Although I don’t suffer from these same fears I, consider her feelings valid and I listen to her.
With my life experience has come the knowledge to fear other things. I only hope she will offer me the same courtesy so she can live to maturity relatively unharmed.
Read more about what’s been keeping me up at night and tell me your solution.
Her vocabulary is just amazing, isn’t it?
I don’t have a solution, because I’m in the throes of the same kind of worries. I recently found out that a new friend’s four year old boy knows about the birds and the bees. Suddenly having Emma play with him takes on a huge amount of scariness.
I guess the only way to prevent complete chaos is to keep the lines of communication open. Actually listen to what our kids have to say and answer their questions, no matter how repetitive, boring, or ill timed.
“it’s distressing me.” It would have been very hard for me not to laugh at hearing that come from the mouth of one so small. So cute!
Oh giggling That one has not been used at our house yet.
How did you and all your siblings turn out so great? How did you make those choices? I guess the tough part is knowing that there are amazing parents out there who had children take a differnt path…then it can happen to us and it is terrifying and distressing. But they always come back right? If not in this life the next? I think that is why we have friends and family. so that you can help my child and I can help your child.
comment about your Parenting Post post:
My daughter and I play a “game” called “what if?” In this game, I come up with scenarios “what if a woman you don’t know came up to you and said she has a really cute baby in her car and if you could with her you can see it?” ( I often use things I know are her weak spots as well as the usual “lost puppy” type of stuff) Kaia really likes the game, and often asks to play it in the car, or when she’s bored. I say options that are okay too– “what if Andrea (a friend of ours) comes to pick you up from school? is that okay?” We go over everything from what to do if someone grabs her to how to respond to a friend wanting her to do something she’s not supposed to do. I know I haven’t covered everything, but I hope the “game” will help her to make the right decision if she ever finds herself in a confusing situation.
I hope this isn’t so well-known that I’m boring people with it… on the other hand, maybe I do. As for the “What if (family friend) picked you up?” scenario: my family had a code word. It was crazy and silly, meaning fun to say, easy to remember and difficult to guess. We were told that anyone picking us up would be told to use this password and that if anyone tried to pick us up without the password we were not to go with them.
It wasn’t me keeping you awake? 🙂
I have been very honest with my kids regarding the dangers of the world. At 11 and 12 they know they have to check in with me at least every 1/2 hour even if they are just playing with friends outside our front door. They always use the buddy system.
As they have gotten older privledges have been linked to demonstrating good choices and responsible behavior.